US universities back new bill to curb patent trolls

The academic research community is endorsing new legislation to clamp down on so-called patent trolling, introduced by Senator Chris Coons and several Democratic colleagues in direct opposition to the much-maligned Innovation Act already sponsored by Republican congressman Bob Goodlatte. Last month, more than 140 universities warned congressional leaders that Goodlatte’s bill would interrupt the flow of discoveries from academia to industry by making it harder and more costly for universities to defend their patent rights. Meanwhile, the academic community has warmly received the Coons bill, which they see as more favourable to innovators and patent owners.